Mealtime

In the gospels there are many accounts of Jesus dining with people from the community where he was. It appears that he often used those times to befriend people and speak of things often questioned or misunderstood. (I have often wished I could have been there when Jesus ate with Zaccheus or had his feet anointed with expensive perfume.) I have become increasingly convincd that meals are one of the greatest opportunities we have today to build friendships and share with people about important matters which may be questioned or misunderstood.

This is true for Barb and I as we seek to become salt and light where we live. We have carried welcoming pies or brownies to the last three families who have moved into our neighborhood. We have had the folks who live on each side of us in for a meal. And today we were honored when our next door neighbors invited Barb and I to their home for lunch.

It was special for several reasons. First, it marks the next step in our developing friendship. Next, the invitation came as they were preparing to say goodbye to their oldest son who leaves tomorrow to return to Japan where he serves as a member of the US Marine Corp and their daughter who is returning to Pakistan with their newborn granddaughter. And finally, it represents a sharing of cultures and faiths. They are from Pakistan and are of the Muslim faith.

The meal was wonderful (although I confess it was my first time eating goat) and gave us the chance to sample foods with very different spices. We shared stories of our families, tales of traveling woes in this day of heigthened security, and dreams about what we want in the future.

We ask you to pray for safe travel for those who will be traveling in the days ahead and for our growing friendship with our neighbors. Barb had a wonderful time playing grandma to the baby and we feel another step has been taken toward a deep friendship being forged. We hope to share additional meals in the future and can only wonder what God may have in store as we seek to demonstrate the love of Christ to those with whom we share our lives!